Escape the Cell - Live Another Life and Skyrim Unbound Mini addons

[jfraser]

I know I'm going through version numbers really quickly, but this update does have a fairly significant overhaul. I linked some things together and created a questline to get the player to go to Bleak Falls. I've always found it hard to find a reason to start the main Skyrim story, especially with Skyrim Unbound. This will fix that.

 

Also, the LAL Shipwrecked story is now in place. Ignore the many mapmarkers in the Northern ocean. I needed them to find the boat in the stupid CK and forgot to delete them. 

 

Thanks, as always, for checking this out.

[Content Consumer]

Do both Shipwreck and Escape the Cell have the quest hook for bleak falls barrow?

[jfraser]

Do both Shipwreck and Escape the Cell have the quest hook for bleak falls barrow?

Yes. All of the beginnings will suggest going to the burned cabin where Mallin will direct the player to his temperamental granny.

[RitualClarity]

Wow you have been busy.. The size of this mod almost doubled.. . Good job.

[jfraser]

Oooookaaaaay. So, I started the "left for dead" scenario to see where it dumped the character. I saw it, thought, "great!", and built my so-far favorite beginning on it. Then I started up the game again to test it.

That's when I discovered that LAL uses a radomizer to create locations for this particular scene. The second time started me somewhere completely different. 

In short, it will take some time to get all of the locations (unless there are just too many, in which case it won't take long at all because I won't do them.)

[Content Consumer]

Oooookaaaaay. So, I started the "left for dead" scenario to see where it dumped the character. I saw it, thought, "great!", and built my so-far favorite beginning on it. Then I started up the game again to test it.

 

That's when I discovered that LAL uses a radomizer to create locations for this particular scene. The second time started me somewhere completely different. 

 

In short, it will take some time to get all of the locations (unless there are just too many, in which case it won't take long at all because I won't do them.)

You could just make a few paper notes, added to inventory, one for each randomized location...

The text would be different for each one.

For example, the note for the Steamcrag Camp might read something like this:

"

Greetings Khajiit brother,

This one thanks you for agreeing to taking the caravan north. I feel it imperative that money be made in the most efficient way possible, and so while you travel the roads with your bundles to sell, I will head directly to the barrow of Bleak Falls. Once you have sold your goods and dropped off your tag-alongs, we will meet and share the money, just as planned, yes?

Try not to get fresh with any of the passengers this time, yes?

Regards,

Krinde-jel

"

[jfraser]

 

Oooookaaaaay. So, I started the "left for dead" scenario to see where it dumped the character. I saw it, thought, "great!", and built my so-far favorite beginning on it. Then I started up the game again to test it.

 

That's when I discovered that LAL uses a radomizer to create locations for this particular scene. The second time started me somewhere completely different. 

 

In short, it will take some time to get all of the locations (unless there are just too many, in which case it won't take long at all because I won't do them.)

You could just make a few paper notes, added to inventory, one for each randomized location...

The text would be different for each one.

For example, the note for the Steamcrag Camp might read something like this:

"

Greetings Khajiit brother,

This one thanks you for agreeing to taking the caravan north. I feel it imperative that money be made in the most efficient way possible, and so while you travel the roads with your bundles to sell, I will head directly to the barrow of Bleak Falls. Once you have sold your goods and dropped off your tag-alongs, we will meet and share the money, just as planned, yes?

Try not to get fresh with any of the passengers this time, yes?

Regards,

Krinde-jel

"

 

 

Well, I'm probably not going to make them species-specific, but something like that is what I have in mind. If there aren't too many. So far there are six that I have come across, so that's not so bad.

 

That's well-written, btw.

[Content Consumer]

 

 

Oooookaaaaay. So, I started the "left for dead" scenario to see where it dumped the character. I saw it, thought, "great!", and built my so-far favorite beginning on it. Then I started up the game again to test it.

 

That's when I discovered that LAL uses a radomizer to create locations for this particular scene. The second time started me somewhere completely different. 

 

In short, it will take some time to get all of the locations (unless there are just too many, in which case it won't take long at all because I won't do them.)

You could just make a few paper notes, added to inventory, one for each randomized location...

The text would be different for each one.

For example, the note for the Steamcrag Camp might read something like this:

"

Greetings Khajiit brother,

This one thanks you for agreeing to taking the caravan north. I feel it imperative that money be made in the most efficient way possible, and so while you travel the roads with your bundles to sell, I will head directly to the barrow of Bleak Falls. Once you have sold your goods and dropped off your tag-alongs, we will meet and share the money, just as planned, yes?

Try not to get fresh with any of the passengers this time, yes?

Regards,

Krinde-jel

"

 

 

Well, I'm probably not going to make them species-specific, but something like that is what I have in mind. If there aren't too many. So far there are six that I have come across, so that's not so bad.

 

That's well-written, btw.

 

It was actually supposed to be a note left on the body of the dead Khajiit near the destroyed caravan... and here I'm sort of expecting the player to loot nearby corpses and containers when he starts the game, but maybe that's a bit too much to expect... the note can be put in the player's inventory and the quest message can be modified to add something like "I did find something of value on the dead caravan master, though... a coin purse and a note. So it's not a total loss." or something like that...

 

How do I find out all the locations it drops you? I've tried literally dozens of new characters with the "left for dead" scenario and it always seems to start me out in one of three places - Steamcrag Camp, on the northern coast, and just outside the Twilight Sepulcher. Skyrim's random number generator absolutely sucks.

I tried to find them in the CK but I was forced to retire in confusion after my monitor developed piercing needles and entered my brain to scramble it. Some day I'm going to have to learn how to use that damn thing.

If I could get a list of locations, I could write up a note for each one, something unique to each start.

[jfraser]

The problem with that is these scenarios are supposed to add a story for the player. Leaving the note on the khajiit makes it the khajiit's story, and the player is left in the same position as if this mod didn't exist - dumped somewhere without context.  

 

The question for each of these is, how did the player get where they are? The note makes sense if it is addressed to the player, and they can read it and say, "Ah, I was trying to sell stuff with this caravan, but got attacked!" 

 

I had to start the game, see the location, then exit and start another game. The choice is made when the game starts, not when you speak to the statue or click on the bed, alas, so I couldn't just make a quicksave there.

 

The locations so far: steamcrag, by the Morrowind gate (exactly where QAYL dumps the player, coincidentally), Deep Folk Crossing, somewhere south of Markarth (along with a half-buried dead horse), the northern coast one you mentioned. I haven't seen the sepulcher yet. Unless the hillside with the horse is the same place.

 

I asked Arthmoor if he has a list. Maybe he will.

[Content Consumer]

Cousin, I truly don't think this is a good idea.

I mean, heading through Skyrim at this time? Don't you know there is a war on?

With the Stormcloak rebels fighting the Imperials, it's dangerous! I don't see why you have to go at all, or especially now of all times!

So what about the family legend of Bleak Falls Barrow? It's just a myth! This is madness!

I beg of you, don't throw your life away on a fool's quest. I don't trust that Khajiit caravan master, he looks the shady type, and you've never been good enough with weapons or magic to make it all the way across the province unscathed.

Come home, cousin. Leave this legend where it belongs... buried.

[jfraser]

Cousin, I truly don't think this is a good idea.

I mean, heading through Skyrim at this time? Don't you know there is a war on?

With the Stormcloak rebels fighting the Imperials, it's dangerous! I don't see why you have to go at all, or especially now of all times!

So what about the family legend of Bleak Falls Barrow? It's just a myth! This is madness!

I beg of you, don't throw your life away on a fool's quest. I don't trust that Khajiit caravan master, he looks the shady type, and you've never been good enough with weapons or magic to make it all the way across the province unscathed.

Come home, cousin. Leave this legend where it belongs... buried.

 

You remind me of me. Great writer, would love to make video games, except can't code very well (arrays make my head swim). Perfect job for us: writing the dialogue for games while people much better at math do the actual work.

[jfraser]

Speaking of reading (as we kind of are) I would appreciate it if someone would start with the "left on the side of the road" over and over until you get to the one by the Morrowind Gate, then interact with the guy there and tell me if the scene has too much going on to keep up. Thanks in advance.

[Content Consumer]

Speaking of reading (as we kind of are) I would appreciate it if someone would start with the "left on the side of the road" over and over until you get to the one by the Morrowind Gate, then interact with the guy there and tell me if the scene has too much going on to keep up. Thanks in advance.

I guess it would help if I actually downloaded the most recent version, instead of downloading the older one and installing it over the top of the recent one like I just did.

 

I'm off to try it now...

[Content Consumer]

Okay, after a bit of testing, here are some thoughts:

 

It starts a little *too* close to the bandit. I ended up being attacked and dying while in mid-conversation... is it possible to move the tower, guards, and ponce a little closer to the gate?

 

The papyrus debug notifications came okay, but the fact that they happened at the same time as the conversation was a little jarring. Is there any way you can move them to another of those text boxes instead? Something like "during your conversation with the ponce, your memories started flooding back to you" or something... I dunno.

 

I got a "..." notification once... am I correct in thinking that happens when text is missing?

 

The quest says "exit the cell" and it should probably say something like "leave the area" instead...

 

When Mallin tells me to find his grandmother in Riverwood, there's still a quest pointer pointing at Mallin. Is this intentional?

 

I really like the gravestones! Nice touch. I don't suppose it would be possible to put a note on them (similar to the signs on the path up to High Hrothgar) that says something like "RIP mum and dad?"

 

Not a problem, per se, but... Mallin is a Nord, and his grandmother is an elf (and a bitch, but that's not really relevant).

 

p.s. I made a save just before talking to the statue, and just quickloaded whenever I needed to try again... works fine for me, you do have the latest version of Alternate Start, right?

[jfraser]

Thanks.

 

I can't control where the player starts - that's part of LAL. The bandit was far down the road when I tested it. Didn't the guards jump in?

 

The notifications along with the dialogue is the part for which I wanted people's opinion. I dislike having messageboxes interrupt play, so I thought I'd try having a running mental commentary going on. But my fear is that it will be a bit tough to keep tabs on that and the conversation, especially when the npc has more than one line. Also, shorter means larger letters and easier to notice. Gotta play with that some more.

 

The "..." is not missing dialogue - it's the same as one would use in a forum, to denote a feeling of "okay, if you say so, but i think you're a bit of a nutjob."

 

I was an idiot and forgot what I called the quest when I started the coding part, so the official internal name of the quest in Exit the Cell. Can't change it now without screwing up the entire thing.

 

The questmarker should move to Edith. I'll have to have a look at that.

 

Glad you like the gravestones. I learned that trick while working on an earlier version of CDW. I could look into placing signs...maybe put a trigger box on them? But I've never managed to get a trigger box to work properly. Something to look into down the line, along with adding backstories to the myriad of npcs I'm dumping into the game.

 

Yes, I changed Mallin to an elf, then didn't save that version, and have forgotten to go back and do it again. I want them to be elves so they can be as old as they need to be, in case the player is also playing a long-lived species.

 

Thanks for your help, comments, and ideas.

[Content Consumer]

 

I can't control where the player starts - that's part of LAL. The bandit was far down the road when I tested it. Didn't the guards jump in?

 

Oh, derp. I forgot. Yeah, obviously.

But no, the guards didn't jump in. I exited the conversation, the ponce ran away and the guards just stood there while I died. I fully intend to haunt their lazy butts.

BTW - should the guards be Imperials? At the start of the game, Riften is Stormcloak territory... maybe they should be Riften guards or Stormcloak soldiers instead?

 

 

The notifications along with the dialogue is the part for which I wanted people's opinion. I dislike having messageboxes interrupt play, so I thought I'd try having a running mental commentary going on. But my fear is that it will be a bit tough to keep tabs on that and the conversation, especially when the npc has more than one line. Also, shorter means larger letters and easier to notice. Gotta play with that some more.

 

Maybe you could add it to the dialog itself?

 pc - "Oh yeah, that's right, slavery is legal in Morrowind."

 npc - "Yes, but what does that have to do with your being here right now? Or with my tea?"

 

 

The "..." is not missing dialogue - it's the same as one would use in a forum, to denote a feeling of "okay, if you say so, but i think you're a bit of a nutjob."

 

Thanks, I had wondered... mostly because the quest for the college where you have to rescue Orthorn from Fellglow Keep, he has some screwy dialog and it contains a "..." and I had wondered if it was something wrong.

I mean, that whole Fellglow keep is a bit wonky, from the fact that the doors don't match on the inside vs. the outside, to it not being clear whether you are trying to get rid of Orthorn or have him follow you, to the way it updates the cells while you're inside... I'd just figured the whole thing was messed up and so the "..." was a symptom.

 

 

The questmarker should move to Edith. I'll have to have a look at that.

 

At that point, Mallin and Edith both have quest markers.

 

 

Glad you like the gravestones. I learned that trick while working on an earlier version of CDW.   I could look into placing signs...maybe put a trigger box on them? But I've never managed to get a trigger box to work properly. Something to look into down the line, along with adding backstories to the myriad of npcs I'm dumping into the game. 

 

Try this: I've taken it from Oblivion Gates in Skyrim mod. I don't know how it all works or how the ESP interacts with it, but maybe it could be used as a base?

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/22369/?

 

 

p.s. I haven't tried it, but I think this will probably conflict with Unique Border Gates.

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/52296/?

 

[jfraser]

 

 

I can't control where the player starts - that's part of LAL. The bandit was far down the road when I tested it. Didn't the guards jump in?

 

Oh, derp. I forgot. Yeah, obviously.

But no, the guards didn't jump in. I exited the conversation, the ponce ran away and the guards just stood there while I died. I fully intend to haunt their lazy butts.

BTW - should the guards be Imperials? At the start of the game, Riften is Stormcloak territory... maybe they should be Riften guards or Stormcloak soldiers instead?

 

 

The notifications along with the dialogue is the part for which I wanted people's opinion. I dislike having messageboxes interrupt play, so I thought I'd try having a running mental commentary going on. But my fear is that it will be a bit tough to keep tabs on that and the conversation, especially when the npc has more than one line. Also, shorter means larger letters and easier to notice. Gotta play with that some more.

 

Maybe you could add it to the dialog itself?

 pc - "Oh yeah, that's right, slavery is legal in Morrowind."

 npc - "Yes, but what does that have to do with your being here right now? Or with my tea?"

 

 

The "..." is not missing dialogue - it's the same as one would use in a forum, to denote a feeling of "okay, if you say so, but i think you're a bit of a nutjob."

 

Thanks, I had wondered... mostly because the quest for the college where you have to rescue Orthorn from Fellglow Keep, he has some screwy dialog and it contains a "..." and I had wondered if it was something wrong.

I mean, that whole Fellglow keep is a bit wonky, from the fact that the doors don't match on the inside vs. the outside, to it not being clear whether you are trying to get rid of Orthorn or have him follow you, to the way it updates the cells while you're inside... I'd just figured the whole thing was messed up and so the "..." was a symptom.

 

 

The questmarker should move to Edith. I'll have to have a look at that.

 

At that point, Mallin and Edith both have quest markers.

 

 

Glad you like the gravestones. I learned that trick while working on an earlier version of CDW.   I could look into placing signs...maybe put a trigger box on them? But I've never managed to get a trigger box to work properly. Something to look into down the line, along with adding backstories to the myriad of npcs I'm dumping into the game. 

 

Try this: I've taken it from Oblivion Gates in Skyrim mod. I don't know how it all works or how the ESP interacts with it, but maybe it could be used as a base?

scripttest.txt

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/22369/?

 

 

p.s. I haven't tried it, but I think this will probably conflict with Unique Border Gates.

http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/52296/?

 

 

Well hell. I didn't know that mod existed. guess I'll have to check it out. 

 

I have imperial guards because I figured it was the empire who controlled the borders - they're the ones who arrest the player for crossing the border illegally in the vanilla start.

[Content Consumer]

I just made an absolutely amazing discovery!

 

When you download a file from LL, you cannot then endorse that file on Nexus!

WHO KNEW?

 

Seriously, I just spent five minutes scratching my head wondering why it was telling me I couldn't endorse a file I had not downloaded, when I most certainly have downloaded it, and played it.

 

Derp derp.

[Content Consumer]

I thought I was going to be quite disappointed in the "warlock's thrall" start, but it is actually pretty good.

Just a few notes:

 

When I first am in the cave, Parman is mining. Doesn't seem quite right for someone who just summoned a demon to go grab a pickaxe and start swinging at a wall... I mean, you could make the argument that he's an idiot, but even an idiot probably won't say "Ho hum, I just summoned a demon to destroy my enemies, and is that a vein of ore? Score!" Is it possible to remove his AI packages before he starts speaking, or require a force-greet, or something?

 

During the conversation, I made the "reading an elder scroll" animation with my hands... is that intentional? Why?

 

The quest to go find Edith still says to find Mallin's Grandmother. Edith never said anything about Mallin. To reuse the same quest for all starts, maybe just say "Find Edith in Riverwood" and otherwise be as generic as possible?

 

 

 

And I personally go to the Greater Tri-City Area Community College of Food Service Arts and Sciences, and am close to getting my doctorate in the illustrious field of Applied Mexican Restaurant Drive-Thru Window Studies.

[jfraser]

I thought I was going to be quite disappointed in the "warlock's thrall" start, but it is actually pretty good.

Just a few notes:

 

When I first am in the cave, Parman is mining. Doesn't seem quite right for someone who just summoned a demon to go grab a pickaxe and start swinging at a wall... I mean, you could make the argument that he's an idiot, but even an idiot probably won't say "Ho hum, I just summoned a demon to destroy my enemies, and is that a vein of ore? Score!" Is it possible to remove his AI packages before he starts speaking, or require a force-greet, or something?

 

During the conversation, I made the "reading an elder scroll" animation with my hands... is that intentional? Why?

 

The quest to go find Edith still says to find Mallin's Grandmother. Edith never said anything about Mallin. To reuse the same quest for all starts, maybe just say "Find Edith in Riverwood" and otherwise be as generic as possible?

 

 

 

And I personally go to the Greater Tri-City Area Community College of Food Service Arts and Sciences, and am close to getting my doctorate in the illustrious field of Applied Mexican Restaurant Drive-Thru Window Studies.

He mined for me, too, but it was 1:30am and I get up at 5am for work so I decided to fix it later.

 

Ditto with the scroll animation - saw it, decided to fix it later. I assume there's another animation just above or below that one and I mis clicked.

 

I did change the greeting with Edith to remove the reference to Mallin but I forgot about the other references. Thanks.

 

I do know if that school name will fit under the CK's ridiculous line length limitations.

 

edit: also, glad I was able to defeat your expectations. XD

[Content Consumer]

Crazy Go Nuts University?

I wonder if anyone would even get the reference...

[jfraser]

Crazy Go Nuts University?

I wonder if anyone would even get the reference...

 

I don't know, but I certainly have to add Whatsamatta U.

[jfraser]

Okay, all that is fixed. Except I don't know if my sandbox solution will work.

[Content Consumer]

Wow... okay.

Parman is no longer mining from the start. So that's good.

But I have to say I really don't like the text boxes telling you that the scenario is a pulled-from-the-real-world one.

They're great in CDW as an end-of-semester story, but this one really kills it for me. They have their place, I'm certain... for example, a single text box at the end of the conversation or something would be fine...

 

The way I figure it, most people who try this mod are going to read the OP and know about it. Those that don't, well... you're always going to get people who don't read the OP and still complain about things. It's one of those things that just happen, like the sun rising in the east. I've tried to stop it, gods know, but no matter how many virgins I've sacrificed, that damn ball of fire still insists on coming up over thataway every morning, and people still complain about things that are explained in the OP.

 

It's like people who just click "yes" to any button that pops up on their screen without reading the accompanying warning, and end up clicking "yes" to something that says "In order to continue, the program must run an 'rm -rf' command now." (true story... it was a prank on a school computer, and the idiot actually pressed yes without reading it... had to reinstall the operating system. Good times.)

[jfraser]

I didn't like it either, but I kept picturing people hitting that beginning at random without having context, because my base assumption is that maybe 5% of people read the OP.

 

But now I've come to the realization that I should have had from the start - if they're too lazy to read it, let them be puzzled.

 

It'll be gone tonight.